Cole defends green fashion line's high prices

Cole defends green fashion line's high prices

Model/actress LILY COLE has defended the high prices of her eco-friendly fashion line, insisting the cost ensures no workers are "exploited".

Published 22nd March 2011

The catwalk beauty helped create North Circular, an ethical knitwear business which donates five per cent of profits to the Environmental Justice Foundation.

Items in the range include a hat for £65 and a scarf for £110, prompting criticism that the prices are too high for many people to afford.

But Cole is adamant the costs are justified because there are so many workers involved in producing the items.

She tells The Guardian, "I'm not against people buying clothes; I think clothes are wonderful, and I'm very materialistic myself - but there's a way of finding a compromise.

"I just think we can buy less and pay more, to make sure people aren't being exploited."

Green campaigner Cole admits she feels "guilty" about her jet-setting lifestyle, but credits her ethical business with helping her balance her feelings: "I'm a hypocrite. I'm not perfect - and I admit it. And I feel guilty about that. But I try and do what I can... I think that by having these dialogues, and trying to make conscious choices and become more aware, that's the only option really."

And Cole is backing a new charity T-shirt, in aid of Climate Week, after seeing all the effort that went into making the garment during a trip to India. She adds, "It was such an amazing and heart-warming and optimistic experience, just to know you could produce an affordable T-shirt and it could be a positive process, employing people and not dumping loads of chemical dyes into the local river."